This category was known as "Short Subjects, Cartoons" from 1932 until 1970, and as "Short Subjects, Animated Films" from 1971 to 1973. The present title began with the 1974 awards. In the listings below, the title shown in boldface was the winner of the award, followed by the other nominees for that year. This category is notable for giving Walt Disney 12 of his 22 Academy Awards, including a posthumous 1968 award, and also 10 of the first 11 awards awarded in the category. Only American films were nominated for the award until 1952.

Awards were presented to the shorts' producers during the first five decades of the award's existence. Current Academy rules call for the award to be presented to "the individual person most directly responsible for the concept and the creative execution of the film. In the event that more than one individual has been directly and importantly involved in creative decisions, a second statuette may be awarded."[1] The Academy defines short as being "not more than 40 minutes, including all credits."[2]